


ad meliora

by VTheTrashKing



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Developing Friendships, Fantastic Racism, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route Spoilers, Flashbacks, M/M, Mentioned Blue Lions Students (Fire Emblem), Mentioned Golden Deer Students (Fire Emblem), One Shot, Panic Attacks, Post-Timeskip Battle at Gronder Field (Fire Emblem), Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Slight Canon Divergence, Spoilers for Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Trust, Trust Issues, Visions, Wordcount: 5.000-10.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-25
Updated: 2020-11-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:36:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27704944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VTheTrashKing/pseuds/VTheTrashKing
Summary: In the midst of fighting at Gronder Field, Claude is struck cold with a vision of his first friend, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd speared to death. As he races against the clock to save Dimitri from his fate, Claude recalls moments of his blooming friendship with the prince.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 65





	ad meliora

**Author's Note:**

> Title is taken from The Charm Park's "ad meliora"/ a Fruits Basket (2019) ED.
> 
> I got Dimitri to level 99 and solo'd the final map with just an upgraded training bow.
> 
> So, it appears I've gotten over my slump to deliver this to y'all.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

Gronder Field.

A field that formerly rang with laughter, smiles and low curses once a classmate was forced to retreat.

Now, it was a burning field, fires cast along the ground, in the foggy morning sky. The screams of the dying, bodies falling or untangled into ruined ribbons. Blood splattering the grass, painting a picture Claude _never_ wanted to see. Even if these soldiers were nameless, even _if_ Teach managed to wrangle _every_ single former classmate and professor into the Golden Deer, it didn’t help Claude much. 

Claude marched on, despite the bile ready to rise in his throat. He took in a shaky breath, bare right hand tightening around the hilt of his upgraded silver sword. Claude forced himself to repeat through his mental checklist, rather than focus on the emperor standing a few feet away.

_Hilda, Marianne and Lorenz are holding down the fort up north. They should be fine, they’re fine._

_Teach and Raphael are dealing with the Empire with me._

_Ignatz, Leonie, Lysithea and Ferdinand are handling the Kingdom._

_Everyone is fine, everyone will be fine. The battle will be over as soon as we take down-_

_Don’t focus on him, don’t focus on him, don’t-_

“Raphael! Teach! I know he’s our enemy but it looks like Dedue needs some help with that Demonic Beast! I’ll handle dear old Edelgard myself.”

“You got it, Claude!” Raphael shouted back, making a beeline for Dedue.

The thing was, Dedue _hardly_ needed the assistance. The man kept swinging his axe and taking the blows no problem. The abrupt appearance of Teach and Raphael definitely threw Dedue off, judging how tense he became. He soon seemed to roll with it, allowing for a painfully easy take down of the hulking monster. Byleth flew a bit higher into the sky on her pegasus, shooting two arrows right between the Demonic Beast’s eyes. Raphael dashed up to the monster like a bull, gearing up for a slew of punches. Dedue widened his stance, bringing his axe over his shoulder and letting it crash down. With the Demonic Beast felled, Dedue didn’t know what to do with two opposing members of the Alliance army until Raphael clapped his back. After what looked like a short conversation, the trio began to tear through the remaining Empire forces like a knife to butter. 

Only one Empire soldier stood in Gronder Field. Edelgard.

Claude grit his teeth, sheathing his bloody silver sword and replacing it with a Blessed Bow. The small yellow-white gems aligning his dancer silks violently jingled as Claude broke out into a run. He quickly found himself before Emperor Edelgard herself. 

“Hey, Edelgard. It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other! Five years, actually.”

“It has, Claude. If it were not for the current circumstances, I would say it is nice to see you. _However._ Now is your chance to leave.”

Claude clicked his tongue, forcing himself to keep smiling, “As nice as leaving sounds, I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

The thought of _leaving_ made Claude feel sick to his stomach. An emotion Claude didn’t want to name crept along his skin and tore right through. It bypassed his bones, zipping and breaking his ribcage, turning into an all too sharp needle. That suffocating feeling nicked at his heart, threatening to kill him if he dared to ignore it.

But, this was war, and Claude was used to shrouding his emotions under a thick curtain. All he had to do was defeat Edelgard, and then-

The needle sunk into his heart without any warning. The initial pain felt like a lance blade, and the irony almost made Claude laugh.

Claude nocked an arrow, aimed the bow, and let go of the bowstring. The arrow whizzed into the air, as fast as his crumbling heart. The arrowhead buried itself into Edelgard’s chest. She grunted in pain, staggering back. Before Claude could follow up with another arrow, Edelgard raised Aymr with one hand. Blue electricity sparked along the axe pole, swirling up and around to the twitching bone plates of the axeblade. The bones rattled harder, making an _ugly_ grinding noise. Light flashed twice off of the bones as they abruptly stopped shaking. 

Claude’s emerald eyes went wide once a cluster of thunder rained down on him. It appeared too quickly for him to react, seizing his body and leaving magic burns in its deadly wake. Claude tried to bite his lip, drawing blood, but an agonized scream left his mouth, anyway. The spell _ripped_ through his skin, bludgeoning his body as though he was hit by Aymr. Heavy blood splatter dyed the grass, and Claude added more by coughing up blood. He shifted his right foot and almost stumbled. Claude winced, struggling to breathe. 

Claude’s ears rang, his eyes unfocused, his fingers trembled, hardly feeling the metal of his bow.

There was a roar that outmatched the frenzied shouts and cries of soldiers. Claude stared straight ahead, seeing nothing but a blur of crimson red, yellow and green. His mind was starting to plague with that _horrible_ emotion. One thin needle became a whole spread, lining up with his heart.

There, Claude saw it.

Bloodied golden blonde hair, pooling to the ground beneath it. Shattered black armor and a tattered, bloodsoaked cape. Rows and rows of spears and lances tearing a body apart. 

Claude’s eyes mindlessly focused on Raphael marching his way onto Edelgard. He tried to blink away the image burned into his brain. The lingering sounds of lances piercing through flesh brought a chill down Claude’s spine. 

If Dimitri died here, he would be just another man lost to Edelgard’s war. 

A second needle joined the first, painfully slow and deliberate.

If he died here at Gronder, Claude would just move on. He _wasn’t_ weak.

A third and fourth dug into his heart, as quick as lightning.

If the rabid crown prince of Faerghus was killed, it wouldn’t matter.

A fifth.

A fifth and Claude stopped lying to himself.

How could he fool himself into thinking he _wouldn’t_ care about Dimitri? Like every word he wrote to Dimitri during the war wasn’t sealed away in his room at Garreg Mach, splotches of dried tears and messy handwriting ruining the parchment paper. Like every moment he spent with the other House leader didn’t bring a genuine smile to his face. Like the trust he gave to Dimitri didn’t matter.

Claude’s head snapped to his right. The steady flap of pegasus wings caught his attention. Teach idly gripped her steel bow, mint green hair whipping in the wind. Concern flashed in her eyes and Claude tried to smile it off. Judging by Byleth’s grimace, Claude wasn’t very convincing.

“Teach- _Teach-!_ I have to borrow your pegasus!”

Claude needed _anything_ to reach Dimitri in time. 

A dozen questions flooded Byleth’s face, and strangely, a look of understanding. Her lips thinned into a tight, straight line as she dismounted without saying a word. Claude’s entire body screamed in protest as he shuffled over to the pure white pegasus. It, no, he whinnied in response, staring Claude down. The male pegasus _clearly_ wanted nothing to do with Claude, the more he eyed the Alliance General. He snorted, sharply turning his head away.

“Please,” Claude whispered under his breath, “ _please_ work with me here.”

The pegasus stilled, lowering his head. He nudged his muzzle into Claude’s free hand. A faint disbelieving smile formed on Claude’s face. With a bit of difficulty and a lot of pain, Claude got on the winged mount.

It was different from flying with a wyvern. It felt lighter, a hint of fragility with each gentle flap of the pegasus’ wings. Claude pat the pegasus’ neck, setting his gaze onto the treeline in the distance.

_I **won’t** let him die._

_I **CAN’T** let him die._

Claude’s right hand tightened around the pegasus’ reins. He harshly flicked his wrist, biting his bottom lip to stop a hiss of pain. Adrenaline weaved through his battered body the _moment_ the pegasus’ wings picked up in speed. He felt like screaming, the blood coursing through him _roared,_ his heart beat as fast as a drum, those needles keeping the organ pinned.

Claude shot through the morning sky. His mind reeled of the memories he _wished_ he could have repressed. They only served to make his declaration into something feasible. That simple bowl he envisioned five years ago shattered at the bottom, the sound of ice crackling ran around the bowl, completely destroying it. 

With each beat of his frantic heart, Claude lost almost every logical thought in his brain.

All Claude thought about, all he knew was _Dimitri._

Dimitri, the crown prince of a tragic fairytale. A kingdom razed, the lone survivor letting the scars of the past overwhelm him.

Dimitri, a weak, soft-hearted young man, wearing a polite and charming smile for the masses. For himself, to hide what lied beneath the surface. 

Dimitri, the boar prince. Fury, sickening laughter, too tight smiles and ice cold frowns. The duality of that prince flaring up and remaining unmasked, using his Crest for his own vindication. 

Dimitri.

_My first friend._

The broken shards of the bowl were left in the center of Claude’s mind, idly spinning into a kaleidoscope of images.

* * *

The first time they properly met. Claude yet again finding himself alone in the library. It was well into the night, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t sleep at the time. Garreg Mach was still new to him, an unknown place filled with potentially dangerous people. People he couldn’t bring himself to trust, even the Golden Deer. How could he fall asleep when _anyone_ could barge into his room and assassinate him? It certainly didn’t stop a maid from smothering him with a pillow in his sleep. 

Making _friends_ with these people would really be a half-hearted job for him, however, if he _did_ manage to befriend at least one person, they would be incredibly useful. Probably more useful than the book he was reading. 

Claude pressed a fist near his cheek, reading over the page with a glazed look in his eyes.

‘The divine Goddess Sothis created all of Fódlan. With a gentle, pure hand, Sothis made beautiful landscapes and Her children.’

Claude skipped a few dozen lines, frowning at the next words his eyes landed on. Claude held back a bitter scoff and instead clenched his fist a bit tighter. His nails dug into his tanned skin, reminding him that _no one_ would really accept him.

‘Sothis loved all her children. Our dear Goddess adored all of humanity, except the ones who have wronged her. Those who choose to disobey and betray the will of the Goddess are to be cast in the eternal flames as unclean, traitorous outsiders.’

Claude swallowed, shutting the book closed.

So long as those words existed on that page, no one would _care_ for a half-breed like Khalid. Not in Almyra. Not in Fódlan.

Because it was the truth. Because he heard the disgusted whispers ringing in the corners of the monastery’s hallways.

Claude sighed to himself. It didn’t matter if he was never accepted. It wouldn’t happen, regardless of how he used to beg and cry for a hand to reach out. He was fine with it staying this way.

The sound of semi-heavy footsteps alerted Claude, making him raise his head lightning fast. Claude narrowed his eyes, tracking the noise to figure out the person. 

_Last time I checked, the Golden Deer are all asleep. The Black Eagles had to drag Linhardt out of the library a few hours ago, and I swung by the dorms earlier. Hubert wasn’t in his room, the princess wasn’t either. And the Blue Lions-_

“Claude? You cannot sleep, either?”

_Right._

Claude’s gaze flicked to the new person in the room. Tired azure blue eyes met his, thin lips curled into a warm yet small smile. 

_The prince of Faerghus doesn’t sleep all too well. Or at all._

“Hm, more or less. That’s why I’ve got so many books here,” Claude gestured to the mountain of books engulfing the table, “to keep me company.”

It was a lie, and Claude would _love_ to keep it that way. 

Dimitri cocked his head to the side like an adorable, stupid puppy. A worried look overtook his face and it made Claude’s skin crawl.

“Wouldn’t reading keep you awake?”

Claude plastered a smile on his face, “Well, that’s the plan!”

Dimitri blinked, processing the information.

“Do you not have class to attend tomorrow morning?”

“Don’t you?” Claude calmly shot back, keeping the air of friendless up.

Dimitri faltered, a light pink blush staining his cheeks.

“Er, that is to say-” Dimitri didn’t elaborate, only glancing away.

While Dimitri was busy being embarrassed, Claude weighed his current options. He could allow the prince to stay under the guise of friendship, gauging how helpful the future king could actually be. Or, the safer option, let the heir to the Faerghus throne leave. 

_If he stays in the library, I can get information out of him. I might have to lay it on thick for that to work. But if he stays, he could kill me if I breathe wrong in his direction. He’s patient, but what would it take for it to run out? What if him staying just ends up being a mistake?_

_But if he leaves, I won’t get anything. If he leaves, I might lose my chance for achieving my dream._

Claude, just once, took the plunge. 

“Hey, don’t worry too much, Your Princeliness. I’m just messing with you. But since I caught you red handed and wide awake, you mind answering some questions for me?” 

Just one request shook Claude’s entire world. Because of _one_ little bait disguised as a request, there would be a person out there willing to outstretch their hand for someone like him.

* * *

As smart as Claude was, he could be _such_ an idiot.

Which was why he found himself half-curled into a ball on the pavement. To no one’s surprise, Claude was alone, surrounded by angry Fódlan citizens. They screamed, roaring out slurs like they practised them in front of a mirror for years. A man sneered down at him, light brown eyes alight with rage and twisted pleasure. He kicked Claude _hard_ in his stomach, but he refused to cry out.

No one would hear him.

No one would notice him.

Khalid realized not a single person would come to save him when he was eleven. 

The sole of a shoe slammed into his face, violently rubbing the heel into his bruised cheek. Another person spat on the ground near him.

Claude would die here. Everything he hoped and fought for would turn into ash, his dream would be lost with him. 

It was futile, but Claude reached out with a shaking hand.

Claude’s vision blurred and briefly blacked out. His ears rang, melding with the furious shouts and sickening cracks of his bones. 

Rapid pitter pattering of feet _rushed_ down the pavement, bits of stone flying off with each loud step. Bits almost immediately became _chunks._ Claude heard something break, and he dared to look up.

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd was right there, gauntleted hand tightly gripping a corner of an alleyway building. His Crest flared on his cheek, lighting up his baby blue eyes. Under his hand, parts of the wall broke apart.

In the blink of an eye, Dimitri dealt with Claude’s attackers, knocking them out with ease. He hardly seemed to realize what he did, fighting off eight people without breaking a sweat. Dimitri paid them no mind, walking up to Claude and kneeling before him.

“You’re,” Claude wheezed, wincing when he spat out a glob of blood, “you’re actually here?”

“Of course I am!”

The dark look crossing Dimitri’s face slowly vanished as he glanced away. 

Claude gave Dimitri a wry smile, “With all that yelling, you’ve probably figured out my secret, huh?”

That dark look appeared again, draining the color from Dimitri’s eyes. 

_I guess that look confirms everything I needed to know. Why did I even think we could be fri-_

“ _Claude._ Cease.”

A broken laugh left Claude’s mouth.

He hates me, doesn’t he? He actually hates me.

Why did that sting so bad? Why did he feel like crying?

Dimitri sighed, “I apologize. I did not mean to sound so harsh,” a frown marred his face, “it is just - I feared I would be too late-” 

Dimitri stopped himself, gently scooping Claude up in his arms. He was really warm. Safe, his traitorous, delirious mind supplied.

“Your safety matters more to me, Claude.”

_Oh. That makes sense, I think._

_Not really._

_He doesn’t care that much, right? Why would-?_

“Claude, please. I beg of you, _please_ rest. If not, could you use your Crest to heal yourself? It may help some.”

_Wait, but my Crest activates if I hurt someone. Dimitri wants me to hurt him._

“Your Princeliness,” Claude slurred, “hey.”

“Yes?”

“Are we friends?”

Dimitri hesitated for a moment, leaving Claude to crumble a bit. 

“I would like to hope so.” Dimitri replied, a little self-deprecating.

Claude groaned softly, blearily looking up at Dimitri’s face. 

“Can we be friends, Dimitri?”

Even after the prince happened upon his greatest secret, would he consider it? Would a person from Fódlan really want to be friends with him?

Dimitri’s crystal blue eyes slightly widened. A tentative smile bloomed on his face, dashing away the shadows coiled around him.

“I would love to.”

Claude allowed himself to lower his mask, smiling ever so softly at Dimitri. His eyes rolled back and he passed out in Dimitri’s arms, much to his alarm.

* * *

Claude stopped thinking his friendship with Dimitri was transactional when it was the _prince_ to comfort him after a nightmare. Usually, it was the other way around. A bloodcurdling scream and pained moans ripped from Dimitri’s room. A door swung open, and shaky, uneven footsteps echoed across the hall. Seven raps on Claude’s door and he let the wide-eyed, terrified prince in. Claude brewed some tea, held Dimitri in his arms as he cried into his shoulder, giving another secret away by singing in Almyran.

Khalid was sinking into the ocean depths, held down by a rock tied to his ankle. A shout bubbled from his mouth, and more water filled his lungs. His blunt fingernails uselessly clawed at the thick rope. He scratched and scratched until his fingers bled. Muffled laughter echoed around him, mocking him as he drowned. 

The murky blue waters gradually shifted to pitch black. The ocean was swept away by a room Khalid didn’t recognize. Books littered the small room, most of them piled on top of a yellow blanketed bed. Khalid choked, green eyes as wide as saucers. Another boy was in the room, standing by the end of the bed, eerily watching Khalid with an ice cold, cruel smirk. Khalid reached behind him, grasping for a dagger underneath his pillow. 

“Leave!”

The boy started to _smile,_ light blue eyes crinkling in twisted delight. He leapt over the bed and kept his eyes on Khalid, stalking his prey. Khalid gripped the hilt of his dagger, stabbing the boy above him. The boy easily caught the weapon and _crushed_ it in his right hand. A terrified squeak flew out of Khalid’s mouth. The boy took a glance at the broken dagger with a sardonic grin. His gaze slid back to Khalid’s fearful green eyes. Tears lined his eyes and spilled down his cheeks.

“Please don’t hurt me.” Khalid struggled to say through his tears, hiccupping with each breath.

The nameless boy pinned Khalid to the bed, hands lunging for his neck. Gray-black metal dug into Khalid’s neck as the boy above him _squeezed._ Khalid tried and failed to pry the boy’s hands off, kicking and punching him. The boy only gripped his neck harder, a crazed laugh falling from his lips at Khalid’s feeble attempt of self-defense. 

Khalid’s lungs burned, his head felt like cotton. 

“Pl- no- stop, _stop_!”

“ _Mommy-_ ”

The boy crushed his windpipe, a haunting, glowing blue star being the last thing Khalid saw before he died. 

Claude smacked the back of his head against the floorboard. He shakily inhaled, bringing a trembling hand to his throat.

_Just a nightmare, it was just a nightmare. Relax, relax-!_

Claude had a hard time swallowing. He clutched his nightshirt, feeling his heart pound way too fast for his liking.

_Calm down, calm down, come on!_

Claude raised his hand to his mouth, biting the meat of his thumb to muffle his terrified cry. He flinched and curled into a ball at the sound of knocking. The knocking on his door continued, getting louder and more frantic.

_Someone is behind that door and they could kill me. They_ will _kill me._

_Weak, pitiful, **stupid** Khalid-_

_Please leave me alone, please, just leave me alone!_

“-de! Claude! Are you alright?!”

Claude reluctantly rose his head, warily eyeing the door.

“I heard a thud-”

_Damn it, I woke them up. Great job, idiot._

“-please, my dear friend-”

What? Friend? _Dear friend?_

_That’s not right, that doesn’t make any sense. I can’t be-_

“If you do not want to open the door, I understand. Please let me know that you’re alright, I worry for you, Claude.”

_It’s a trick. But-_

Claude took his eyes off the door, staring at his pillow, then the open window behind him.

_If I let them in and they hurt me, I can stab them and run. I’m on the second floor, the window is a bit too narrow but I can jump out. With enough force, I can knock them out with the books in my room. I could even throw the glass vase at their face._

_You can get out of this, you’ll be safe._

“Okay.” Claude croaked out.

The person behind the door seemed to startle, calling out to a fake name in relief.

“May I come in?” The person asked, so, so gently.

“Okay.” 

After a moment passed, Claude watched the doorknob twist. The wooden door creaked open, making Claude hunch his shoulders. Claude froze, bolting up and staring into equally wide bright blue eyes.

_Oh no._

_Nononono._

_It’s not a nightmare, he’s going to kill me, he’s-_

“Claude?”

The blonde boy stayed by the door, eyeing Claude with _concern._

“Claude, it’s alright, I won’t harm you. I swear it, I _won’t_ hurt you.”

_A lot of people said the same, you know. I believed them and nearly died for it._

The boy’s expression shattered, a tiny little frown and doe-like eyes marking his face. He looked like a kicked puppy. He seemed to think about something, hesitating on taking a single step into the room. The boy continued to watch Claude, gauging his reaction.

“Can you breathe with me? In and out?”

Claude _sobbed,_ panicking even more. 

_Why is he being so nice?! Does he have an ulterior motive? Is he just going to hurt me after?_

_Just-_

“ _Claude,_ ” the boy’s voice came out firm, only to soften with his next words, “listen to me. You are in Garreg Mach, in your room. No one will harm you. I will not let that come to pass, either. You are safe. It will be alright.”

Claude sniffled. He didn’t know how to feel about the delicate look crossing the boy’s face.

“Can you tell me what you see?”

“Blue?” Claude choked out.

The boy smiled warmly, “Yes, wonderful job, Claude. What else?”

“Your hair.”

“Good. Would you like to keep going?”

Claude shook his head. 

“Very well. Can you tell me what you need?”

Claude despised what his mind conjured in response. His mother holding him as he cried, singing to him in both her native tongue and Almyran. A kiss to his forehead and a hand in his hair.

His mother stopped doing that after a while. He was fine without it. 

But a part of Claude- _Khalid_ wanted to be held, to be seen and protected, he wanted the warmth and comfort. 

He wanted someone to _stay._

“Don’t go. Don’t leave me. I- hug me, can-”

The boy walked towards Claude with even, measured steps, sinking to his knees once they were face to face. The blonde carefully reached out and gently wrapped Claude in a warm, escapable hug. A hand wove itself through Claude’s curly, messy locks. Soft, so incredibly _soft._ Claude sunk into the boy’s chest, never wanting to leave. The boy ran piping _hot,_ his hug felt like a fur blanket, everything was so _warm_ and Claude was _weak_ for it.

Then, the blonde deeply inhaled and began to sing.

“All those days watching from the windows. All those years outside looking in.”

The boy seemed to skip a few parts, probably forgetting some of the lyrics.

“And at last I see the light. And it’s like the fog has-”

“Dimitri.” Claude called, his voice muffled.

“Ah- hello, Claude. How are you feeling?”

Claude let his eyes slip shut, listening to Dimitri’s steady heartbeat.

“M’kay.”

“That’s wonderful!” Dimitri whispered, sounding genuinely happy.

“If I may ask, did you have a night terror?”

Claude could lie, for his sake, so Dimitri wouldn’t have to worry even more about him.

But.

Friends _talk_ about things, don’t they? They’re allowed to be weak.

Hilda told him as much. Leonie did, too.

_Besides, Dimitri already told me about his own nightmares. His fears, his past. His secrets._

_Maybe I can try for once._

“Yeah.”

Dimitri only held him tighter, saying nothing.

“It was nothing bad, really. Just, you know, drowning and strangulation. I don’t know why I even got scared, it used to happen all the-”

“ _Who_ did that to you?”

_Hoo boy. Not the response I was expecting._

There was a stark _shift_ in Dimitri’s tone. The same voice he had when dealing with racists hounding his retainer. That hint of fury, a glimpse of a lower pitch, _screaming_ danger.

“Everyone who hated me, I guess.”

“Give me their names.”

“Woah, woah, you don’t have to do that!”

Dimitri scoffed. Claude laughed a bit, smiling into the prince’s chest.

“I appreciate it, but, honestly? I think this is enough. Someone liking me for once, not caring about my mixed blood, it’s enough for me. So,” Claude leaned back, wiping his eyes and smiling wider, “thank you.”

The mesmerized expression Dimitri wore was an image Claude _never_ wanted to forget. The blindingly bright grin, the crinkle of his eyes, how clear and _happy_ his baby blue eyes were.

“I am so glad to have your trust, Claude.”

_If Dimitri can tell me about Duscur. About the ghosts that haunt him, then-_

“You know, I’ve got another secret for you. Want to hear it?”

“Buh- what? Are you certain? Claude, you do not owe me anything.”

_Did I scramble his brain? This poor guy._

“My birth name is actually Khalid, so if you want, you can just- woah, hey!”

Dimitri squeezed the _life_ out of him, turning that gentle hold into a tight bear hug. Khalid wheezed.

“Urk-! Hey- I’m a fan of bear hugs and your strength but _holy shit_ \- Dimitri, you’re crushing me-!”

Dimitri let go, sputtering and apologizing in the same breath. His pale skin went tomato red, spreading like a wildfire. As much as he tried to compose himself, the poor prince still blushed rather hard. 

Even with his body crushing blunder, Dimitri held out a hand and smiled. 

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Khalid. You can call me Dima, if you wish. Or, ah, anything, you are much better with creating nicknames than I am.”

Claude, the boy who kept others at arms’ length, who carried a hidden dagger, ready to strike at a moment’s notice, who trusted no one but himself-

Khalid, the weak, pitiful outcast, the boy who used to trust too much, who wore his heart on his sleeve-

They reached out for that pale, scarred hand without a second thought.

* * *

Claude was observant. He _had_ to be in order to survive.

He noticed every little thing about a person, and Dimitri, his friend, was no exception. As the months flew by, so did the escalation of disastrous events. Flayn’s kidnapping, Remire, the Chapel. In such little time, things were spiraling and Claude had no answers.

Dimitri was spiraling. His control was slipping. His mind was fracturing. 

Claude would keep him grounded.

Ironically, by letting Dimitri escape with the evening sky.

Claude leaned against one of the pillars in the training grounds, watching Dimitri brutalize a poor wooden dummy. With one more lethal strike, Claude was sure either the dummy would break and fly off or the wooden lance in Dimitri’s hands would shatter.

“Hey, Dima-love, you’re looking pretty stressed.”

Dimitri’s posture grew more rigid. Tense. 

“I am perfectly fine.” Dimitri hissed out without glancing back.

Claude frowned, walking towards his friend and lightly hugging him from behind.

“Instead of training, let’s do something fun.”

“ _Fun?_ Do you think I have the-”

“ _Dimitri,_ ” Claude called, sounding like the king he would eventually become, “that wasn’t a suggestion. It was an order.”

Dimitri grumbled, but agreed to Claude’s terms.

“What do you have in mind?”

“Flying!”

“What?” 

_At least Dimitri sounds confused instead of angry._

Claude spun Dimitri around. The phantoms consuming him screamed against the evening sun, flaking away under the light, if only for a moment. The Boar Prince was once again pushed back into his cage and locked away. Confusion and apprehension danced across Dimitri’s face, making him look softer.

“Don’t look so worried!” Claude cheered with a grin.

Claude’s grin dimmed into an earnest but cheeky little smile.

“You trust me, don’t you?”

“Wholeheartedly.”

Claude reared back a bit, lips slightly parting. A blush stained his tan skin and was quick to spread.

“Wha- you can’t just _say_ that, Dimitri!”

Those puppy dog eyes were back with a vengeance, unbearably honest.

“Why not? It is the truth.”

“Bah! You and your honesty, it hurts me. Now come on, we’ve got a wyvern to ride.”

Claude tugged Dimitri by his hand, leading his friend to the stables. Dimitri gripped Claude’s hand a _little_ too tight, but the shorter boy decided not to mention it. Instead, he squeezed Dimitri’s right hand to try and ease his nerves.

The stablehand on duty allowed them to borrow a two-rider. Claude scritched the large female wyvern under her chin. Her nostrils twitched, huffing as she slowly blinked at Claude.

“That’s a good girl.”

Claude turned to an anxious Dimitri with a light smile, “Aw, Dimi, you’ll be just fine.”

Dimitri bit the inside of his cheek, staring at the wyvern as though she was a flying death trap. Claude grabbed at Dimitri’s cheeks and gently pulled on them. He then pat Dimitri on his shoulder.

“You’ll be fine. I’ve got you, alright?”

Dimitri’s gaze flicked downward for a second. He steadily rose his head, giving Claude a sharp nod. Claude mounted the wyvern, feeling giddy beyond belief. Since Teach took one good look at Claude and decided, ‘Yes, you are the chosen one. Be a Dancer or so help me,’ he never got to fly in months. As impressive it was to destroy everything in his path with Reason spells, it made Claude a little depressed that his wings were clipped.

Claude shook his head, chuckling to himself as he helped Dimitri up.

“Take a long breath and hold on tight.”

Dimitri wrapped his arms around Claude’s waist, deeply inhaling. Claude grinned and gently snapped the reins. The wyvern trilled, slowly flapping her dirt brown wings and ascending to the skies. She idly soared at an even speed, and Claude took everything in. The wind whipping his hair and clothes, the warm colors of the sky and darkening clouds. Claude _could_ direct the wyvern to go higher, go _way_ faster, but he was sure Dimitri would start panicking. The poor prince already found a home on Claude’s back, keeping his head against his upper back and refusing to move.

“Dimitri! Open your eyes.”

“Wait, Khalid! How did you know?”

“You haven’t said anything about the lovely view.”

Claude felt Dimitri lean back, holding onto his waist with one hand. A small, astonished gasp fell from Dimitri’s lips and Claude had to keep himself from smiling. 

Claude could only wonder how it must have felt for Dimitri, to see something thought to be unreachable. He was a boy, ensnared by his ghosts, never able to catch the sun between his fingers, never _wanting_ to and depriving himself of that freedom Claude knew for years.

Claude chanced a look behind him - and his heart stuttered.

Dimitri was shadowed by the orange-yellow sun, his free hand reaching for a puffy gray cloud. A genuine, childlike grin blossomed on his face as he took in the sky around him.

_Gods, he’s beautiful._

Claude set his gaze forward before he said or did something stupid. Wordlessly, he motioned for the wyvern to fly higher. The wyvern gently burst into the graying clouds, weaving around the pair like fog. Being surrounded by clouds was normal to Claude, it was like breathing, back at home. So, hearing Dimitri quietly laugh, gasping in awe, seeing his fingers glide through a cloud in the corner of his eye, was a breathtaking sight. It was _so_ much better than _any_ of the compliments Dimitri ever gave him.

Claude went even higher, their wyvern taking flight above the clouds. A sea of vibrant purple, green and cyan lights shone against the darkened sky. 

Since Claude was apparently now a masochist, he glanced back again.

If Dimitri didn’t look absolutely _ethereal_ before, he was now. His hair and skin was haloed by the lights above them, and the crystal blue of his eyes were more pronounced because of it. He was beautifully framed by the night and the rolling clouds below. His golden blonde locks were set astray by the light wind, midnight blue cape fluttering and trailing after him. 

Unlike before, Dimitri was no longer distracted by the scenery. His glowing eyes stared straight into Claude’s, a brilliant smile settling on his face.

For once in Claude’s life, no words managed to fall from his lips, only a red hot blush and an awkward, bashful smile climbing up his face.

* * *

The Flame Emperor was unmasked, and so was Dimitri.

It scared Claude. It really, _really_ did.

Dimitri’s polite little smile, even the genuine grins he wore were traded with a blissful, deranged twist of his lips. He looked giddy for all the wrong reasons, murmuring and chuckling to himself.

The light in Dimitri’s eyes fractured, turning into black glass. Colder than Claude’s own. Hollow and lifeless until _rage_ flooded those eyes like a violent thunderstorm.

Claude would have ran for the hills, _gods,_ he would have left the _second_ Dimitri took a nosedive. Every cell in his body shrieked at him to do so.

But, the thing was, Claude was in too deep, he cared far too much for this boy. He took the plunge so many months ago, and now he was sinking into the abyss that was Dimitri.

Claude leaned against the headboard, sitting on his messy bed. Dimitri sat across from him, refusing to look Claude in the eyes, fury rolling off of his body.

“Dima-love, hey.”

Dimitri’s gaze flicked up to Claude, and the shorter boy felt like he was thrown into ice cold water.

“Let’s talk, okay? Tell me how you’re feeling.”

Dimitri barked out a sharp, bone-chilling laugh. He flashed a smile filled with teeth.

“You haven’t been _listening,_ Claude? I’ll kill her, _oh,_ I’ll kill that woman. Nothing will stop me from crushing her sick skull.”

Dimitri sounded like he was on a high. 

It scared Claude.

It scared him, it scared him, _it scared him._

Dimitri kept rambling, seeming more and more mad as his words grew darker. It felt like insects crawling over every inch of Claude’s body. Revolting. Horrifying. 

Claude wanted to cry.

“Dimitri? Let’s take a breather, yeah? I understand you’re angry, I am, too-”

“ _Oh?_ You are?” Dimitri spat, a sneer on his face.

“I am, trust me, I’m angry, too. But things aren’t adding up. _Yes,_ she implicated herself and went along for the ride that was this year, which makes sense. But I don’t think she had _anything_ to do with Duscur.”

The moment Claude let those words fly free, Dimitri looked even _angrier._

There was a split second of tension-ridden silence. The sound of a pin dropping could have been heard with how eerily quiet the room was.

Dimitri’s smile dropped altogether. His dead fish-like eyes widened, pupils dilating. He tilted his head up, glaring at Claude like he was _scum._

Claude couldn’t breathe. He felt so _tiny_ under Dimitri’s gaze.

Dimitri stewed in silence, and Claude was absolutely _terrified_ that he would kill him. 

_All it would take is a flick of his finger, and he could bash my head in._

_He could just reach out and crush my skull._

_If I fight back, he can break my arms._

_There’s nothing I can do._

_I’m not safe. I’m not safe here. I’mnotsafe. I’mnotsafe._

_Gods-! Stop crying,_ stop _crying, he’ll just kill me while I’m distracted!_

_I’m scared- don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me,_ don’t _hurt me. I’m sorry._

An ugly sob tore through Claude’s mouth, the noise akin to a toy crashing to the floor and breaking.

“Don’t hurt me. Pl-please don’t.”

Was that _really_ his voice?

Something that frail? So meek? So afraid of an aftermath he _knew_ would come, that would _always_ come?

Khalid at least recognized the language he was speaking. Almyran.

Khalid tightly shut his eyes, waiting for the hit that would come. He distantly heard a name ring out, something like wood snapping, and then a heavy thud.

Khalid cracked an eye open, puzzled by the lack of pain on his body.

His best friend, his soon-to-be killer was on the floor, blue eyes painfully wide and staring right at him. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.

Khalid’s friend looked scared, too. Horrified? Khalid couldn’t exactly place the face his friend was making.

His friend stopped holding his stare, glancing away in shame and covering his face with one hand.

“ _Goddess,_ Kha- Claude, I am so _sorry._ I should not have lost my temper like that, _saints-_ I _frightened_ you.” 

Khalid glanced at his friend, then to a random book on the floor.

“You,” Khalid paused, fumbling to speak in his second language, “won’t hurt me?”

Khalid’s friend slowly, _slowly_ turned to face him, breath catching and staying trapped. Whatever dark abyss he had for eyes was replaced with _terror._ He looked sick to his stomach.

“No, I- As _unwell_ as I am, I will _never_ lay a hand on you.”

“Because we’re friends?”

Khalid’s friend stilled. His lips parted, disbelief flashing in his eyes.

“Yes. Because we’re friends.”

His friend looked up at the ceiling.

“I apologize. Truly. You can talk about whatever you wish, even if it angers me. Please, just speak your mind.”

Khalid knew he had trouble being honest. Speaking his mind would just alienate him even more from other people. People would hurt him, so it was better to lie. To hide himself away.

But his friend - Dimitri wanted to hear him. He didn’t want empty words, lies or anything “Claude” could say to appease him.

So, Claude ripped off the sheep’s clothing, telling Dimitri the truth.

“I’ll be honest with you, my friend. You’re scaring me, hey, _hey,_ don’t look so sad. I’m not scared _of_ you. I’m scared _for_ you, there’s a difference. You have me to lean on, so don’t think relying on me is a _burden._ Because it’s _not._ ”

Claude left his bed, dropping to the floor with a small ‘oof.’ He grabbed a hold of Dimitri’s left hand and pulled him forward. Claude tightly hugged him.

“It’s not,” Claude whispered, “and I’m scared, too. Of my control slipping. So. I know. But, _Dimitri-_ I’ve got you, I swear, I’ve got you, okay? If you disappear into your head, your friends are right here, _I’m_ right here. I won’t run, Dimitri, I _can’t_ even think of running, anymore.”

“I will _always_ reach out for you. You have my word.”

Dimitri wept, Claude stayed.

* * *

Claude was back in the present and he hated every second of it. The adrenaline pumping through his blood made him ignore the _horrible_ pain washing over his body, at least. His thoughts still tunneled and focused on _one_ thing - Dimitri.

Saving Dimitri.

Claude seethed, biting his bottom lip until it bled. He harshly flicked the reins twice, flying through the air like an arrow. The beats of the pegasus’ wings grew louder in Claude’s ringing ears. Faster.

In the distance, Claude saw Hilda and her group dashing into the trees. The Kingdom soldiers lay waste on the field, gashes, arrows and magic burns littering their corpses. Upon spotting a shaggy blonde head of hair and a dark blue cloak, Claude flew lower to the ground. Within moments, he found himself a few feet away from Lysithea.

“ _LYSITHEA!_ Warp me, _now_!”

Lysithea sharply turned around to face her General. Her pale pink eyes grew almost comically large, staring at Claude’s injuries in concern. She then seemed to process him riding a _pegasus,_ turning that concern into something more familiar.

“Wha- Claude?! _What_ in the worl-”

Something in her pale pink gaze shifted. It made Claude wonder what face he was making.

A golden sigil bloomed under the pegasus’ hooves, a ring of thin light surrounding it. The yellow light quickly changed to a bright pink, successfully Warping him _right_ in front of Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd.

All the needles sliced through Claude’s heart.

Claude’s mask shattered, spilling onto the ground beneath him.

There he was. Standing before Claude.

A chipped, broken dagger.

“Dimitri.”

There was nothing Claude could say to ease the pain in his weak heart.

Dimitri slowly looked up, tightening his grip around Areadbhar’s pole. His remaining eye looked so hazy. Unreachable.

“Claude.”

Dimitri’s voice changed, too. It was deeper. Raspier. Lost to the throes of his own madness he tried to keep at bay.

Dimitri was covered in blood and a few magical burns. His pitch black armor chipped in some places or were outright broken.

Dimitri frowned, and such a simple expression looked even _colder._

“Move. I have no time to exchange words with you.”

Claude dismounted from the pegasus, keeping his eyes on Dimitri.

“But I _do._ ”

A growl ripped from Dimitri’s lips.

“Dimitri! Listen, _listen_ to me! Your lions are waiting for you! _Byleth_ is waiting for you! Come with us, _come with me_!”

That growl gave way to an _ugly,_ deathly scowl. His lips curled into a vicious frown, his eye shadowed by the heavy bags underneath it and the rage settling in that violent blue wave pool.

“And _ignore_ the chance to rip that _wicked_ head from that woman’s body?!”

“You’ll _die_ if you go after her!”

Dimitri gave him a sardonic laugh, trembling at the thought.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Dimitri rose his head, shooting an arrow through Claude’s heart with that cruel, battle hungry gaze.

But Claude- _Khalid_ was born a fighter. Not once did he give up on his stupid, impossible dream. If Dimitri wanted to challenge him, he’d rise to meet him.

Dimitri had Khalid’s loyalty five years ago and he had it _now._

“It matters to _me_!” Khalid roared.

Dimitri staggered back, a flicker of clarity shining in his eye. It was swept away a moment after. He seemed to have enough with talking, raising his arm to throw his Relic. Claude heard horrified gasps behind him. Faith magic surging and pulsing, a Bolt Axe crackling with electricity, the _twang_ of a bowstring being pulled.

Claude whipped his head back, green eyes as wild as Dimitri’s.

“ _Don’t_ attack him! That’s an _order_!”

“Claude?! What are you _thinking?!_ He’s going to-”

“ _Hilda._ ” Claude hissed, his desperation and frustration leaking into his voice.

Hilda only gave him a sympathetic look, lowering her weapon and saying nothing.

When Claude turned back to Dimitri, the taller man chucked Areadbhar right past him. The blazing heat of the rattling bones singed a few locks of his hair. The glowing spearpoint dug into the bark of a tree behind him. 

It was a warning.

“ _Leave,_ Claude.” Dimitri demanded.

Claude breathed in. Breathed out.

“I’m not leaving.” 

Dimitri’s eyebrows pinched and furrowed. 

“Then I’ll just have to kill you!”

Claude’s nerves lit up like a wildfire. Instinct overtook him, causing him to draw his sword. Dimitri barreled towards Claude, his Crest burning into his neck. He roared, aiming a punch to Claude’s chest. Claude weaved out of the way in time, internally balking at the _heavy_ rush of air following Dimitri’s fist.

“Just in case you forgot, I’ve escaped _plenty_ of attempts!”

Dimitri scoffed, going in for a sharp uppercut.

“So you have told me. That ends now!”

Claude blocked the strike with his sword, backing away the moment Dimitri’s fist and the blade connected. Dimitri’s nose scrunched up, clearly displeased. Claude offered him a rueful smile. The blonde easily closed the short distance between them, blindly slamming his left fist into Claude’s face. Claude parried the blow once again, frustrating the fallen prince even more.

“Lots of people back home said the same thing. How dare _I_ get to live?! Half-breed, disgusting, _scum!_ They kept trying and I had the nerve to keep breathing. I am _not_ stopping here.”

Dimitri’s lips curled, glaring Claude down like he massacred his family. 

“This has nothing to do with your blood.”

“Oh _no, Your Princeliness,_ it does,” Claude’s voice went a little frigid and airy, “someone like me has to have thick skin. I have to defy every single person that wants me _dead._ So, resilience is my strong suit!”

Dimitri smiled back, mocking and crazed.

“You’ve come to me as a walking corpse. Can you truly call it resilience when you’ll die in a matter of moments?”

Claude’s smile slipped. Dimitri’s Crest flared on his skin as he pulled his left arm back. Claude’s eyes flew wide open, watching his silver sword _shatter_ upon getting hit. Silver shards scattered along his dancer silks and the ground. Claude’s hands shook. Dimitri merely raised an eyebrow, smirking at him. He wasted no time, rearing his right leg back and _slamming_ his foot into Claude’s stomach. Claude choked, dropping to the ground and taking a slight tumble. 

Claude panicked, struggling to get up when Dimitri swiftly turned on his heel. The blonde began to stalk off to his demise.

_He’s-_

_He’s going to die._

_I have to-_

_I got to stop him._

Claude dug his nails into the bloodied dirt, seething as he forced himself to move. He tried to crawl and his body shrieked in protest. It was agony just to move his arms. Sharp stabs lingered from Edelgard’s pseudo-magic spell, the bruise from Dimitri’s kick ached. 

Claude pushed himself. Even as the hot flashes flooding his body turned numb. Even as his vision blurred and threatened to black out. He kept going.

Claude’s fingers trembled, fingertips twitching. Dark blue matted fabric filled his watery vision. Claude shakily inhaled. His throat tightened.

Claude weakly grasped the end of Dimitri’s bloody cloak.

“Please,” Claude rasped, “ _please_ don’t go.”

Claude felt like a child. The outcast, unwanted child he was back in Almyra. A hideous and pathetic creature begging to be seen by someone else. An animal that still believed there would be someone to take his hand. A _thing_ so disgusting, its hand was knocked away. Ignored and hated.

Khalid couldn’t stop his tears from falling. 

“Don’t leave me, please don’t leave me! Don’t _go_!”

Khalid’s throat burned.

“Stay with me-! _Please_ stay with me. I _can’t_ -” Khalid switched to his mother tongue.

Dimitri stilled, hulking and rigid posture loosening a bit. He slowly looked over his shoulder. His dull blue eye, for a moment, was lit aflame with _something._

“ _Dima,_ ” Khalid choked out, nearly unable to speak with the lump in his throat, “Dima, pl- _please._ ”

Dimitri’s eye widened, cracked lips gently parting. He fully turned to face Khalid. The rage seemed to vanish, replaced with something painfully soft and sorrowful. A moment passed, and the scowl was back on his face. He refused to look at Khalid, making him feel queasy.

_Will he reject me, too?_

_He will, won’t he?_

_All of this will be for nothing._

_I’ve lost him._

“Fine.”

_Huh?_

“Huh?” Khalid repeated after a few seconds, not processing a word. 

“Stop your sniveling. I will go with you.”

Khalid blinked.

Everything came crashing down around him.

Khalid wailed like a newborn baby, the stress of Gronder Field finally devouring him. Black dots danced across his vision and Khalid collapsed onto the ground like a forgotten toy.

* * *

Claude woke up to the sound of shouting. He rubbed at his burning eyes, feeling a headache coming on. Claude sharply took a look around, realizing he was in the infirmary, resting in a pure white bed and covered in bandages. 

Claude’s eyes slid over to the wooden door. The incoherent yelling steadily became more understandable as Claude fully awoke.

“-ate you! I _hate_ you, you damn _boar!_ ”

“Felix.” Dimitri mournfully called, a far cry from the man at Gronder.

“I hate you,” Felix’s voice shattered like glass, “I-”

“I understand if you-”

“You _don’t!_ Did you think I would be ready to mourn you if Claude didn’t pull something out of his ass to save you?! I- I thought- _No._ Listen to me right now, you stupid boar. I won’t be repeating myself.”

There was a soft thud and a shocked call of Felix’s name.

“Look. I care about you. I still do.” Felix’s voice was a bit muffled.

“You- you do?”

A wet, strangled scoff.

“Obviously.”

“Wait, Felix. Are you crying?” 

“Shut up! I’m _not_ crying, I’m- I- I’m not a baby!”

“Felix, I am so sorry! I-”

“Shut _up._ Just _shut up,_ ” Felix shakily inhaled, sniffling hard, “welcome home, Dimitri. Why are you _crying?!_ Stop crying!”

“No, no, they’re happy tears! I assure you.”

Felix kept weirdly fussing over Dimitri in his own Felix way, snapping at him to stop sobbing like a baby.

“I’m glad to be home. Truly.”

“ _Well!_ That makes eight of us.”

“Eight? Excluding you, there would be only seven members of the Blue Lions. Why did-”

“Are you really this stupid? It’s Claude.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t keep him waiting, he’s probably awake by now.”

Silence.

“ _Dimitri._ If you don’t move, I will throw you into the room myself. Stop worrying over nothing. That idiot will have hearts in his eyes the second he sees your stupid face.”

The doorknob slowly twisted. Dimitri pushed open the door, peeking inside like a lost child. He hurriedly walked into the room, finding the somewhat dusty floorboards _very_ interesting. 

“Hey, Your Princeliness!”

Dimitri’s head snapped up. 

Dimitri looked a bit better. Healthier. His hair was a coordinated mess, loosely tied into a ponytail, his golden locks properly parted into bangs. The blood was replaced with a fruity shampoo, making it look incredibly fluffy. He still had eyebags under his eye, but it seemed like they were starting to go down.

Dimitri did away with his armor and his cloak, dressed in a simple, loose white shirt and black pants. 

The poor guy looked like a startled deer, ready to make a run for it.

“Um. Good morning.”

Claude snorted, “Why so awkward, big guy? You alright?” 

Dimitri flushed a bit, pink flooding to his cheeks as he stared straight ahead at the window.

“It is just- I do not know what to say, is all.”

Claude hummed, pretending to think, “Hmm, let me guess. An apology mixed with a thank you?”

Dimitri sputtered, turning bright red.

“Perhaps. I owe you so much, and yet-”

“Nah.”

Dimitri glanced back, completely dumbfounded.

“Nah,” Claude repeated, “thanks but no thanks, Dima.”

Claude gave Dimitri a cheeky little grin. After a few moments, it simmered into an adoring, soft twitch of his lips.

“Really, you don’t owe me anything. You believing in me and staying is all I wanted, so I think I’m alright.”

Dimitri was pretty much rendered speechless, standing as still as a board.

“But! As usual, I’ve got some questions for you.”

“Ask away.”

“So,” Claude dragged the word out, “how long have I been out? How are _you?_ What happened to your armor?”

“Ah. About a week, and er, I have been,” Dimitri’s face scrunched up, thinking, “fine? I suppose. About my armor, well,” Dimitri’s voice trailed off.

“Well?”

“The Professor _may_ have thrown me into the fishing pond to force me to bathe.”

Claude’s face froze, his smile a little stuck. A wheeze of air left his mouth and then cackles soon after. He fell back on his bed, crying with laughter. Pain flared up in his stomach almost immediately. Claude stopped, flinching and clutching his side.

“Claude!”

“M’fine. One last question.”

“Yes?”

Claude stared straight into Dimitri’s eye, green eyes shining like crystals caught in the sunlight. A light smile slowly formed on his face.

“Wanna nap with me? I’m still pretty tired and I think this bed has room for two.”

Dimitri went tomato red.

“Are you certain? I don’t believe it’s a good idea, I-”

“Of _course_ I’m sure. It’s _you._ ”

Claude wasn’t sure how Dimitri managed to get even _redder,_ but the blonde always seemed to make the impossible possible. It was a nice look, and terribly endearing. 

Dimitri took an agonizing ten seconds to make his decision. He _finally_ climbed into the bed, but made no move to touch Claude. Claude solved that matter rather quickly, embracing the taller man without a second thought. He pressed his face against Dimitri’s shirt, sighing in content.

“I’m really glad you’re here, Dimitri,” Claude murmured, “thank you. So much. _Thank you._ ”

“There is nothing to thank me for, Claude.”

“No,” Claude’s voice came out softer, fonder, “no. There is.”

Dimitri said nothing, merely hugging Claude back. The warmth of Dimitri’s body and the firm grip of his arms lulled Claude to sleep. Dimitri ran a hand through Claude’s hair, pulling him closer.

“There is nothing to thank me for as you’ve done so much more for me,” Dimitri paused, a smile as delicate as a snowflake falling upon his face, “Khalid. My beloved Khalid.”


End file.
